Other people's Blogs

I know I am constantly linking to articles and other blogs but this one is a must-read. Ellen at Love That Max has a guest post by Jane Schulz, a pioneer in inclusion and an advocate for children with special needs. Her son Billy, who has Down Syndrome, was born in 1956. They brought him home and because there were no services available, became his early intervention team, teachers, etc. Eventually she went back to school for a doctorate in education. She chronicles her experiences in a book called Grown Man Now (which I now want to buy!) and describes just a little bit in this post. Fascinating to see what she achieved and how far special education has come. Go read it and then check out her blog, titled Grown Man Now like her book. Just the fact that this woman is in her 70s (if not 80s) and she has a blog makes her cool in my eyes.
I admit that I spend way too much time reading other people's blogs but I do think some of it is worthwhile. I get lots of useful information that way about special needs, parenting and birth. I get to read perspectives and ideas I may not have been exposed to otherwise. Most importantly, I get to read about others going through similar things as I am. A few people commented to me how they loved the post I linked to about taking your kids to the park. They said they had not laughed so hard in a while and also "those are your kids!" I said: "I know!" That is exactly the point, to feel that you are not alone, that everyone's kids are a little nutty sometimes, everyone has good days and bad days and that it's good to laugh and not take ourselves too seriously.
In that vein, I'll share with you a funny quote from little M. that proves that I probably do spend too much time on the computer. We were at the library today and M sat himself down at a computer terminal and proceeded to bang around on the keys. I told him it was time to go and he said, "Wait, I'm checking my email. Just two more minutes!"

On Vacation

We are down in sunny Florida and having a great time. It is hot but not as bad as NYC was last week and we had a blast at the pool today.
As part of this vacation I have decided to disconnect a bit, from the phone, internet and blogs. I left my cell phone at the house for most of the day today and it was oddly liberating. I am not completely disconnecting this week, although I am sure it would be a great experience.  Perhaps for another time. But I am definitely taking it easy on the technology front, which is why you may not hear from me until we get back home next week. So long!

The links edition

I am a little distracted these days, so I figured, if I cannot offer you any words of wisdom, I can at least point you in the direction of some other blogs that may pique your interest.
So here I go:

Love that Max- a really great blog about children with special needs written by a mother of a boy with CP who is a wonderful writer and has a great sense of humor

Jewish Mom- Chana Jenny Weisberg puts together a wonderful mix of things on her blog- some of her own thoughts, links to articles related to motherhood, and other random things.  Her mommy pep-talk videos are sweet too.

My Shtub- I just discovered this blog last week (thanks to Chana Weisberg actually) but I love it- the author is a mom of three who just recently discovered that she is ill. Her youngest daughter has down syndrome and is the cutest little blond girl ever!! Alisheva, the writer of this blog, takes amazing pictures and it's worth checking out her blog just for that.

There are obviously also birth-related blogs that I like to read but I'll spare you those, because you probably don't love reading birth stories as much as I do...
That said, even if you go enjoy someone else's wit, come back and visit soon. I am already composing lots of hysterical and insightful blog posts in my head. I will keep working on them, while I am busy cleaning my kitchen cabinets tonight...

The Year of the Blog

I started this blog a bit over a year ago, to have an outlet for my thoughts. I posted 20 posts in 2009 and this is my 152nd and final post of 2010.  I really enjoy writing and hope that my readers enjoy reading it too, even if very few of you chose to comment (hm, hm..you know who you are)
At times, it can be challenging to try and post something interesting, entertaining and/or thought-provoking several times a week. My interests also vary widely so it can sometimes be a bit of a random hodgepodge- birth, Judaism, mothering, special needs, knitting, and anything else that strikes my fancy.
As Orthodox Jews, we really celebrate the new year in September, on Rosh Hashana.  But because I live in America, it does somehow feel significant to go from 2010 to 2011. These are the dates I use in my day-to-day lives, making appointments and marking birthdays and anniversaries.
Wishing everyone (including myself) a healthy and successful 2011- and hopefully many more insightful posts that we can share.
Have a great shabbos!

Happy 100th Post

Blogger has informed me that this past Friday I posted my 100th post on this blog. Not sure if that is a real milestone but it feels like one. What started as a mini-experiment has turned into something I really enjoy and I hope that those of you who read semi-regularly enjoy what I have to say too.
In that spirit, I am asking all of you readers (and I know you are there bec. I have a device that tracks my traffic on this site!!) to share a specific post that you particularly enjoyed and why. You can check the archives for inspiration.
I am even offering a prize for the most original comment- winner gets a hand knit small item of your choosing- think hat, scarf, bookmark, booties, etc. I know it's too hot to be thinking of hats and scarves but trust me, I knit cute things. Just ask my husband and kids. Now go ahead and post!